About

Archives

Huntsville’s Library was formed in 1818, when Alabama was still a part of the Mississippi Territory. It is the oldest continuing Library in the state, although it has changed location several times.

The Department of Archives was established in 1973 in order to house the rare, fragile, and unique material that has been part of the library collection since 1818.

Manuscripts

Manuscripts in the Archives offer the researcher a valuable source for study and writing of history relating to Huntsville and Madison County, Alabama. The collection includes business records, church records, diaries, records from local organizations, journals, and scrapbooks.

Photographs

The photograph collection numbers over 15,000 positive photographic prints from Huntsville and Madison County, the oldest dating from the 1850’s. They depict street scenes, buildings, churches, schools, cotton mills, portraits, and historic homes.